System and method for a media codec employing a reversible transform obtained via matrix lifting

Abstract

A system and method for encoding and / or decoding a signal, such as an audio signal, employing a reversible transform obtained via matrix lifting. This reversible transform not only converts integer input to integer output, but also reconstructs the exact input from the output. It is one of the key modules for lossless and progressive to lossless audio codecs. The system and method of the invention produces smaller quantization noise and better compression performance of lossless and progressive to lossless codecs previously known. A number of embodiments employing RMDCT solutions are described. Matrix lifting is used to implement a reversible fast Fourier transform (FFT) and a reversible fractional-shifted FFT, respectively, which are further combined with reversible rotations to form a RMDCT. A progressive-to-lossless embedded audio codec (PLEAC) employing RMDCT is implemented with superior results for both lossless and lossy audio compression.

Description

BACKGROUND [0001] This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. Section 119(e)(1) of provisional application No. 60 / 513,006 filed Oct. 20, 2003 and entitled “Reversible FFT, Fractional-shifted FFT and MDCT Implementation Via Matrix Lifting”. TECHNICAL FIELD [0002] This invention is directed toward a system and method for encoding and decoding data. More specifically, the invention is directed toward a system and method for encoding and / or decoding data, such as, for example audio or video data, by employing a reversible transform obtained via matrix lifting. BACKGROUND ART [0003] High performance audio codec brings digital music into reality. Popular audio compression technologies, such as MPEG-1 layer 3 (MP3), MPEG4 audio, Real Audio and Windows Media Audio (WMA), are lossy in nature. In these compression technologies, the audio waveform is distorted in exchange for a higher compression ratio. In quality critical applications such as a professional recording / editing studio, it i...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0010] The invention is directed toward a system and method for a codec that encodes and / or decodes media, such as an audio or video signal, employing a low noise reversible transform. With matrix lifting and multiple factorization reversible rotation, the quantization noise of the reversible transform can be greatly reduced compared to other methods of encoding and decoding media data. The reversible transform can be implemented using integer arithmetic, and thus be ported across platforms, as well as scaled from lossless to any desired bitrate.

[0014] In yet another embodiment, a progressive-to-lossless embedded audio codec (PLEAC) employing a RMDCT obtained via matrix lifting is implemented with superior results for both lossless and lossy audio compression.

Problems solved by technology

However, no existing audio codec operates in the progressive-to-lossless mode.

A primary reason for the lack of progressive-to-lossless audio codec is due to the lack of high quality reversible transform.

Since the quantization noise in the lossy coder is difficult to model, such approaches usually lead to a drop in the lossless compression efficiency.

Moreover, this coding approach is also more complex, as it requires the implementation of a base coder and a residue coder.

However, there is still no scalability of the resultant bitstream.

Floating point arithmetic varies across platforms and thus coding schemes that use floating points are not readily transportable across these different types of platforms.

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